Could it be that the apparent decline in educational standards in Literacy and Numeracy here in Australia is just a temporary aberration?

Could it that a few simple decisions — applied within just weeks — could bring about a genuine lift in student (and teacher) outcomes in these two vital curriculum areas?

And, could it be that significant improvement, not only in academic performance, but also in developing all-important positive attitudes to learning in primary schools, could come at NO additional financial cost? Just better stewardship of the funding that’s already there?

Could it be that today’s “Holy Educational Grail” — technology — is actually getting in the way of real, effective learning in real time?”

So, let’s support curriculum innovation that makes the very BEST use of the skills, enthusiasm and commitment of today’s teachers, by providing them with curricula that actually allows time for the “Big C” — consolidation — to take place in the classroom.

Time to allow students to DIGEST what is being taught, to ponder it, to get a real feel for it — a “Vibe” — that will help them build on their present knowledge, and challenge them to strive to learn more! Or, as perhaps Telstra would say, to “Thrive On!”

Let’s encourage everyone to move from the known to the unknown, and by giving them the time and tools to help new learning “mature” in their minds.

Maths lessons tend to be quite predictable. Follow the curriculum set way back at the start of the school year. Relevant or not! Helpful or not. Boring, or not.

But then . . . along comes some real-life event that interests everyone — yes, EVERYONE!

And what do Maths lessons do? Well, nothing new, usually.

BUT NOT OURS!!

You see, each week we write and email out Maths resources DIRECTLY RELATED TO REAL-LIFE HAPPENINGS. And not just current affairs! Often they are about the latest movie releases for children, or the latest pop tunes, or the top-of-the-ratings TV shows, or sporting heroes, or the weather, or . . . whatever!

One way to build a POSITIVE vibe in your Maths lessons, and it only costs $4. Try it out! Literally THOUSANDS of primary students around Australia are benefiting each and every week using this tremendous resource.

Q1.: Many “Pokemon Go” people were really upset when a Pokemon upgrade wiped out their 3-week scores. How many days’ records were lost for each player?

Q2.: The new Harry Potter book sold out within just a few minutes at a huge department store, and Mike got very angry. They had advertised the book at $15, reduced from $45. How much EXTRA did Mike have to pay later to buy the book at full price?

Q3. The Australian Census takes place on Tuesday night, August 9th. If there are 3 people who need to complete the form, and each person takes 28 minutes to fill in their section, how long does it take for the entire form to be completed?

Many more where these came from!

These questions were taken from this week’s FUN Maths Worksheets. For FREE 3-week trial for Years 3/4 or Years 5/6 visit www.EdShop.net.au Delivered tonight! Become your school’s MATHS HERO!

So . . . we’ve all seen the incredible impact of “Pokémon Go” in the past few weeks. It’s TRULY gone viral!

And we’re probably all familiar with that “Grumpy Cat” video on YouTube. Yep, another media success that’s gone viral.

And who can forget the image of that beautiful dog skateboarding at full speed, with full, precise control of his vehicle. Incredible. Viral!

So . . . why, on earth, isn’t that all-important “vehicle” that impacts so greatly on the students we teach — the curriculum — going viral?

Surely, it’s a motherhood statement, along with apple pie and cream. Surely we are all agreed that students should be given every chance to achieve success at whatever level of which they are capable.

Surely we should ALL be concerned when “the system” is actually PREVENTING students from, not only succeeding in learning up to their capacity, but also, preventing them from ENJOYING IT!

Two days ago, I purchased a book that set me thinking, yet again, along these lines. Titled “Beautiful Failures”, by author Lucy Clark, the back-cover blurb gives an genuine insight into the content. She begins, “I want to tell you a story about my daughter, my beautiful failure.”

POW!

And don’t we teachers know exactly what she’s talking about!?

I do!

Students sit before me who hate being at school, who couldn’t care less about what they’re supposed to be learning, whose minds are elsewhere (Pokémon, perhaps?), while I, the teacher, try in numerous ways to “win them over” to what we teachers are supposed to be doing — teach!

We need curricula to go VIRAL. Curricula that is interest-packed, relevant, worthwhile, practical in an age of technology that seems to add confusion and difficulty, when SIMPLICITY has a whole lot going for it.

Our own maths materials illustrate the point. Check out the graphic. Full of fun, full of interest. (You can trial this stuff totally free of cost or obligation by visiting our website at http://www.EdShop.net.au so you can get a sense of what WE are trying to do!)

But there are heaps of other truly worthwhile teaching resources available, many of them free, some of them costing but a little. But are teachers encouraged to use them? Are you?